After words Alec and Magnus came down. I pulled him into a hug, which was hard because he was quite taller than me. "You ok babe?" I asked. He nodded. "I think so." Jace came over to us and patted Alec on the back. "We're on your side no matter what, ok? Whatever you chose, we're behind you all the way. While the boys came up and comforted Alec; I went up to Magnus and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you so much. He's lucky to have you." I said. He looked down at me. "I think he's lucky to have all of us.
School
School started back up today, but because of "the list" Jace was either high-fived or he was dodging punches.
"Hey bitch."Marygold said, walking up to me, with some other girl I'd never seen before.
"Original." I said, walking past them. "I trust you've seen the list." She said following me. "I trust you're proud of your work." I said, opening my locker. "Absolutely." She said, smiling. "You didn't just hurt Jace." I said, shutting my locker and walked in the direction of art class. "You hurt everyone he's slept with, and whoever they were dating. " She rolled her eyes. "They are simply casualties in war." She said. "This isn't a war." I said, "It's a foolish feud everyone will forget about." I walked into art and she didn't follow. I sat down and pulled out my painting and plugged in my head phones. Ms. Dare, my art teacher, came up to me and tapped on my shoulder. "I need to talk to you." She said, and walked into her office. I pulled out my head phones and followed her. "What's up?" She sat down and smiled. "I just wanted to congratulate you." "For what?" I asked. "Well, I wanted to tell you over the phone, but I can't wait! You're artwork was accepted into the New York art show!" I flashed back to the first week I was here, and I had entered only because Ms. Dare wouldn't leave me alone until I did. "There's only one question." She said, pulling out my paining. "I notice in the background here, the paint strokes look different than the rest of the painting, did you use a different brush?" I shook my head. "Jace helped me a little on the background." She looked like I had just punched a kitten. "And you didn't put his name in the 'Other artists who helped' section on the art form?" I bit my nail. "I didn't think it mattered." I said, and I meant it, I didn't know a couple of colors mixed together in the background made this any less my work. "This changes everything Clary. You need to get with Jace and ask if he's willing to go, I'm not willing to put you into the show if he isn't in on it. I need to make some calls, find a time to speak to him and come back with the answer by the end of the day. "She waved me out of her office and I got my stuff and left ten twenty minutes before the bell.
I walked down the long hallway to the gym and popped my head into the cotches office. "Where are the football guys?" "Outside." She said, not moving her eyes from the email on her computer. I walked outside to the huge football field our school over paid for. I sat down in the bleachers and waited until Jace saw me, then I motioned for him to come over. "Thought we weren't talking." He said, taking off his helmet. "I've made an exception. Look, you remember that art thing you helped me with when I first got here?" Jace nodded. "Well, Ms. Dare says I won some fancy place in the art show, and because you helped you have to agree to be in it, or I can't go." Jace only nodded. "Ok." "That's it?" I asked. "Just like that, you're going to drop everything and go?" Jace sighed. "What do you want from me? First you're mad, then you need my help, and when I agree, you're mad I didn't raise hell. I agreed to go, take it or leave it." I was shocked to say the least, when I was the bad guy? "I need you to come with me to get the details." I said. "Ok, well go after school, Alec drove me, so I need you to take me home." "Fine." I said, pulling my hair back in to a pony tail.
After school Ms. Dare screamed with enjoyment when we told her. "OK, sit down." she said. "This is what you need to know,
Although you got in the show, there is a competition for best three; you two are entered in it.
It's a five star hotel, and you will be sharing a room
You have a budget provided by the art show of 5,000, this is for food, gas, and maybe some sights you would like to visit."
Jace and I nodded. "When do we leave?" he asked. She got the brightest smile, "Tomorrow."
"This is ridiculous." He said, lying down on my bed while I packed. "One day? Why didn't she tell us weeks ago?" I pulled out a handful of clothes, enough to last me a week. "I don't know, but thanks again for doing this." "Look, about the list-." "I don't want to talk about it." I said packing my sketch book. "I think you do." He said. "Honestly?" I said. "I do, but that involved me sitting down and talking about all of these girls. I know sex isn't a big deal to you; but to me? It is, so I can't sit and 'talk about it'." "We can't just keep avoiding it." He said standing up. "Yes we can." I said, refusing to make eye contact while he walked out of my room.
The next morning Jace and I said our goodbyes, and Magnus pulled me into a big hug. "Are you going to be ok with him there?" he asked. "Yeah Magnus, I think I will." He kissed me on the cheek and I went to hug Alec. He pulled me into a bear hug, and I was so glad thank Alec had become my "Big brother" idol. "I love Jace." He whispered, "He's like a brother, but don't take any shit ok?" He kissed on top of the head and I nodded. I said goodbye to the rest of the group and Jace and I headed towards the airport. "Ready?" he asked, once we were in the car. "My response was a smile. I turned up the volume and sat back, this was going to be relaxing. Right?